MBABANE:Concerned citizens including rural women gathered at the High Court in Mbabane on Tuesday for the court case challenging the constitutionality of an agreement between eSwatini and the United States that resulted to the US dumping dangerous criminals in this tiny Kingdom.
The case, filed by the Eswatini Litigation Centre, Swaziland Rural Women's Assembly, and Southern Africa Litigation Centre(SALC), argues that the agreement lacks Parliamentary ratification and public participation.
The applicants are also challenging the decision to detain these individuals in correctional facilities without a court order and/or a legal instrument allowing the Department of Correctional Services to detain the criminals.
Judge Titus Mlangeni postponed case to a date to be communicated in due course, the foreign nationals in question were deported from the US and have been convicted of serious crimes, including child rape and murder.
The Swaziland Rural Women’s Assembly has expressed concerns about the potential risks these individuals pose to the community and case sparked debate about the agreement between Eswatini and the US, with some arguing that it undermines the country’s Sovereignty and others calling for the Government to prioritize the safety and well-being of its citizens.
Human rights organizations challenge eSwatini Government on deportation of United States(US) dangerous criminals previously convicted of rape, rural women attend court case amid national and regional security threat.